Teeth Whitening
Having white teeth is a sign of good health and personal hygiene and is also essential for a lovely smile. There are side effects that come along with both at-home and in-office whitening. The most common complaint is tooth sensitivity, especially to cold foods and drinks, and some people find the bleaches in these products also irritate their gums. Today’s market offers a great deal of dental hygiene products, but many of them are loaded with harmful chemicals.
First impressions matter in this world and having teeth that look like you don’t brush can and will send a signal that you don’t really care about yourself. If you want to know how to make some lifestyle changes as well as to try some at-home treatments for whitening your teeth, just follow these steps.
Clean your tongue
Use a tongue scraper every morning to remove tongue plaque and freshen your breath. One major cause of bad breath is the buildup of bacteria on the tongue, which a daily tongue scraping will help banish. Plus, using a tongue scraper is more effective than brushing your tongue with a toothbrush.
Buff stains away with baking soda
Whether you’re new to the world of tooth whitening, or it’s becoming an old habit, you probably already know this one: Baking soda will help brighten your smile. This trick is an easy at-home stain remover. Mix baking soda and lemon juice into a paste. Brush the paste onto your teeth with a toothbrush, wait a minute, then brush thoroughly to remove. The baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, will help remove surface stains from your tooth enamel while the citric acid in the lemon juice has a bleaching effect.
Practice flossing with your eyes shut
If you can floss without having to guide your work with a mirror, you can floss in your car, at your desk, while in bed, and before important meetings. In which case, buy several packages of floss and scatter them in your car, your desk, your purse, your briefcase, your nightstand.
Eat Crunchy Foods
Many fruits and vegetables, such as apples, carrots, celery, and pears, can naturally clean and whiten teeth due to their acidic nature. The crunchier the food, the more abrasive it is and the cleaner it will get your teeth. If you adhere to a natural diet, you most likely already consume a fair number of fruits and vegetables, but keep in mind that you need to eat them in their whole form in order to benefit from whiter teeth. For example, bite into your next apple instead of cutting it up or running it through the juicer.
Replace Your Toothbrush Regularly
Throw away your toothbrush or change the head of your electric toothbrush at least every two to three months. Otherwise, you’re just transferring bacteria to your mouth.
Drink with a Straw
Even if you follow a natural diet, the beverages that you drink have the tendency to stain teeth. To avoid as many stains as possible, use a straw to draw beverages into your mouth, instead of having them slide over your teeth. The less contact your teeth have with damaging substances, the whiter they will be.
Teeth Whitening Tips
Maintaining a bright, white smile is something that today’s culture values highly; however, it is also an indication that you have maintained healthy teeth. Be careful, though, because teeth are fragile. Using too much baking soda, eating too many acidic fruits, or trying too hard to whiten your smile can cause great amounts of damage to your enamel, gums, and other parts of your mouth. Remember to keep a natural approach by using all of these tips in moderation.
